China, Japan and South Korea warned North Korea yesterday they would not tolerate further nuclear tests, according to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, amid fears Pyongyang is preparing a third atomic blast.

The president made the remark after talks in Beijing with Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda that also saw the trio decide to start free-trade area negotiations before the end of this year.

“Our three countries agreed we will not accept further nuclear tests or further provocations from North Korea,” Lee said after meeting with his two counterparts for 90 minutes.

The Northeast Asian leaders had been expected to put Pyongyang’s nuclear and rocket programmes high on the agenda for yesterday’s summit. Fears of a third North Korean nuclear test have grown after a failed rocket launch by Pyongyang last month that the United States and its allies said was a disguised ballistic missile…